CFP: The Ethics of Passing (12/10/06; SGES, 2/15/07-2/17/07)

full name / name of organization:

stacey

contact email:

stjack22@yahoo.com

The Ethics of Passing

The concept of “passing” is not new to the American landscape. While racial/ethnic passing may be the most widely recognized form of passing, recent acceptance of queer and transgender studies reveals passing as more than a matter of skin color. The most general question, what are the ethics involved and undermined in participating in passing, opens the door to many other questions surrounding this issue. Does the actor always have control over her/his own ability to pass? What does it mean that someone can be passed without desiring such recognition? What kind of responsibility is involved in revealing ethnic, sexual, or gender “authenticity” if even the notion of the authentic has become problematic?

The Southwest Graduate English Symposium at Arizona State University is asking for twenty minute presentations that focus on any of these questions as well as speak back to other academic and public fields (gender, race, science, technology, religion, art, history, philosophy, politics, etc.). The conference is inclusive and also welcomes creative interpretations of the topic.

Please submit proposals for 15 minute papers to asu2007symp_at_yahoo.com by December 10, 2006.